(Don't) Speak Your Mind
by GrandNinjaMasterRen
Summary: What's most important is what's not said. Logical conjectures of thought process and emotional state based on tone, body language, and personality.
1. Mission to Rann

"You're not getting it. There's a planetary watch alert out on Rann for every Leaguer."

Nightwing stepped forward. _'Why do they always assume only the League can protect earth'_

"Not all of us are Leaguers. I can send a squad to handle the Rann end of things," he turned to face his mentor," And to find out more about the missing sixteen hours. Without causing an intergalactic incident" Nightwing's voice held a hint of pride at the fact that his team could do what the League couldn't.

"Do it." Captain Atom ordered.

 _'Right, because I need the League's permission to do anything. I'm not a child_ ' Nightwing nodded. He turned to go.

"You know, about you not being Leaguers, you three still have an open invitation" Zatanna said.

Nightwing gave her a slightly bitter smile. _'The Justice League doesn't need another Batman. Particularly, a washed out half-hero like me'_

"We know, Zee" Nightwing replied.

"But we're pretty happy" Ms. Martian continued.

"Where we are" Superboy finished.


	2. Leaving the Nest

"Tim." Nightwing called, grabbing his younger brother's wrist," You'll be running Gamma."

Robin turned to look at Nightwing with apprehensive eyes.

"Me… Dick, I've never led a squad before." ' _You've never led one because I didn't want to give you that burden'_

"Making this a good opportunity to get your feet wet as a field leader." The words were hard for Nightwing to speak. Jason's broken body came to mind far too easily.

"Because it's Gamma and you're not expecting trouble or because we're stretched thin and you have no choice?" Robin's tone was slightly accusing. Nightwing couldn't meet his brother's eyes. ' _Because we're stretched thin there's no one else I trust to complete the mission, and because I can't protect you forever'_

"Just… Don't die, okay?" Nightwing said turning his head to glance at Robin," And no unnecessary risks to the squad. That's an order." ' _Be careful, little bird'_

Robin smiled faintly and nodded in confirmation.


	3. Mother Hawk

Nightwing looked down at the ocean and the three boys treading water. _'I wish it was me or at least Batgirl who got the mothership. If they hurt my brother, I'll kill them, consequences be damned,_ nobody _hurts my family and gets away with it'_

The boys glanced at each other and then at the silent Nightwing.

Nightwing crossed his arms and leaned on the handlebars.

"Dude!" He called down," Way to get your feet wet."


	4. A Parting Promise

"Be careful, alright?" _'I can't lose anyone else'_

"I was about to say the same to you three. I fear we leave the more dangerous task here, on earth."

Nightwing smiled slightly, exchanging a glance with both Batgirl and Robin. _'I'll be out of your shadow. I'll protect them. I'll make you proud, Bruce. I promise.'_

"We'll manage." Nightwing said brightly. _'Come home safely, please.'_


	5. Arbitration for an Arrow

"We've all done the math. Speedy was abducted before any of us even met." Nightwing said, crossing his arms to divert Red Arrow's glare. It didn't take Nightwing much more than a glance to know that Roy had been drinking. ' _Your excuses are pathetic. You talk as though we're idiots and you're Einstein or something. Can't you see I'm trying to help.'_

"You're the guy we trained beside, fought beside. You're the only you we know" Wally said.

"You're our friend. Just because you're a clone with anger management issues doesn't change that." Nightwing's voice caught as he tried not to let out a nervous laugh.

"Seriously, have you met Superboy" Wally said, trying to lighten the tension with humor.

Red Arrow blew them off easily. Nightwing exchanged a glance with Wally. ' _Kaldur, I don't know if this plan of ours will work out as well as we'd hoped.'_


	6. Debriefing

"So, no sign of any alien tech?" Nightwing asked.

"None," Bumblebee said," But what we found was strange enough."

"It was clear in Shimmer's mind that Queen Bee was acting as a middleman, delivering abducted humans to an unknown…partner" Ms. Martian continued.

Nightwing stood up straighter, alert. _'It's probable that we missed a Krolotean base, then. Odds are, that's her partner.'_ Nightwing's head snapped to focus on Batgirl as she spoke.

"We questioned all the abductees. Most were runaways. All were kidnapped after the Destruction of Melina island and the Kroloteans." _'After! It's a different group.'_

"So, if the Bialyans weren't kidnapping humans for the Kroloteans, then who is this partner?" Nightwing asked looking at M'gann. Wonder Girl sighed.

"Another unanswered question." She growled, clenching her fists.

' _Oh my gosh, she's starting to act like Timmy. They would be an_ adorable _couple. I ship it.'_

Nightwing approached Wonder Girl, smiling to himself.

"New questions keep the investigation moving forward. You saved lives, and you got each other home safe."

Nightwing couldn't help smiling a little at Wonder Girl's nervousness. He put his hands behind his back.

"That's a successful mission in my book. Good work, Alpha." Batgirl smirked at Nightwing, then she looped her arm around Wonder Girl, dragging her into the group.


	7. Interrupting Kid Says

"Is that the Krolotean intel?" Robin questioned excitedly. _'Take a chill pill, Tim. Just because we have alien information, doesn't mean you have to jump me to get a look at it."_

"What Krolotean intel?" Beast Boy asked.

"The data files M'gann and J'onn recovered from Melina island before it was destroyed." Nightwing said, annoyed at the interruption. _'Don't you guys have anything better to do?'_

"Ah. Noted." Beast Boy said. Robin looked thoughtful.

"Apparently the Kroloteans were snatching humans to use as… Guinea pigs. They were hoping to find something." Nightwing didn't bother to conceal his disgust and anger at the invaders.

"Something inside us." He said clicking through some of the decrypted files. _'What the heck is this?'_

"What?" Robin asked eagerly, expecting Nightwing to have the answer.

"There's no English word for it." Nightwing said, "The nearest translation is… Meta-Gene." He narrowed his eyes.

"What's a Meta-Gene?" Robin murmured to himself.

"Never met a Jean I didn't like" Beast Boy quipped, elbowing Robin in the side. The alarms sounded.

"Warning, unknown energy impulse detected." The computer said.

Beast Boy, and Robin looked around, panicked. Nightwing scanned the room.

Nightwing turned as lightning began to form an orb behind him. _'Get the kids away, in case…'_

Nightwing put himself between the light show and his little brother…and Gar.

A metal contraption fell from the sky as the lightning died out and began to open.

"Stand ready" Nightwing said pulling out his Escrima sticks.

"Ta-Da!" The passenger shouted. _'He's showy. Wants an audience.'_

"Computer, lockdown cave." Nightwing growled.

"Well, I think we found our 'Unknown Energy Impulse" Beast Boy pointed out unnecessarily.

"Impulse‽ That's so crash! Catchy, Dramatic, One word. Like Nightwing" The boy said quickly, speeding over to said hero. _'What?'_ Swish of air, and then-

"And Robin"

' _Mine!'_ Another swish. _'He's a Speedster. Way shorter attention span than Flash or Wally.'_

"And Beast Boy. Except that's two words. Blue Beetle's two words. Hey, is he here too."

' _If I- we can distract him…'_

"Never mind. Impulse Can find that out for himself" The speedster ran away, laughing.

"You two, take him down! Now!" Nightwing shouted. Robin jolted at the sudden shout, but he collapsed his staff and took off, Beast Boy on his heels.

"We're… crash?" Nightwing said bewildered. _'I have never heard that word used that way. It's kinda asterous.'_

Nightwing spilled ball bearings on the floor of the hall and stood slightly to the side of the entrance to the main room. When 'Impulse' ran in, Nightwing attacked pushing against the youth's chest to force the air from his lungs. Nightwing handcuffed Impulse around both his wrists and his ankles. Nightwing stood proudly the victor.

' _Thank you, Wally, for teaching me how to wrangle a hyper speedster. I'm sure Green Arrow wishes I had learned sooner.'_

"Now that was crash."

"For you maybe," Impulse said, squirming to glare at Nightwing, "Me? I'm totally feeling the mode."


	8. Impulse-ive

"Well, Bart. Coming in from the future you must've worked up quite a thirst." Nightwing said walking in with a glass of tracker-laced water.

"Thanks!" the speedster chirped cheerfully, taking a drink.

"Oh, ah. You're trying to get a DNA sample. You need my spit." Bart said. He spat into the glass.

"Ha. That's such a Dick Grayson thing to do." ' _He just passed up a perfect opportunity. He could've said "That's such a Dick move." Heh. But this just further proves he's telling the truth. There's no way he could've known my name.'_ Robin seemed panicked.

"How did-?" Robin said, as both he and Beast Boy looked at Nightwing for answers.

"See! I know stuff only a future boy would know. Dick Grayson." Robin looked startled. Nightwing scowled. _'Stop saying my name. If you really know me, you'd know why.'_

"Tim Drake." Robin clenched his fists.

"Garfield Logan." Beast Boy had a deer-in-headlights look. Robin scowled at the ground.

"Your name's ' _Tim_ '?" Beast Boy asked, "And, yours is ' _Dick'_?" ' _It's just my name.'_ Nightwing glanced at Beast Boy from the corner of his eye.

"Oops. Spoilers. This secret identity thing is so retro." Bart said, looking chastised. _'It helps that he at least_ sounds _apologetic, I suppose.'_

"I mean you can call me Impulse, or Bart, or Bart Allen, or Bart 'Impulse' Allen. It's all crash." _'Nevermind.'_

"Is it possible he might actually be telling the truth?" Robin asked, gazing challengingly at Nightwing. Nightwing made eye contact with his little brother.

"Could he really be from the future?"

"Recognized: Malcom Duncan. A-10." The computer said.

"Ooh. Sounds like a door's opening somewhere. That's my cue." Bart began vibrating. He phased through the handcuffs on his wrists and ankles.

"Bye bye!" He cried, dashing off at superspeed.


End file.
